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Business Rate Supplements Bill

My Lords, I support the amendment. It concerns reliefs, which can apply widely. They can apply to sports clubs and other such organisations. However, the noble Baroness is seeking clarification regarding empty property rates. This issue is a sore point for business. The concept of empty property rates was introduced when businesses and the economy were doing well but has been implemented when businesses are doing badly. The idea was originally conceived to dissuade property owners from sitting on properties that should be redeveloped. Now many businesses and landlords are certainly not sitting on properties waiting to be redeveloped as their tenants are going out of business at an alarming rate. As a result, business premises are empty when their owners would wish for anything other than that, and they still have to pay this iniquitous tax of empty property rates. We will listen carefully to the Minister’s response on how he will deal with reliefs.